Newcastle secure Champions League place despite final-day defeat to Everton

Newcastle managed to cling on to their Champions League dream by the skin of their teeth despite Charly Alcaraz heading Everton to Premier League victory at St James’ Park on the final day of the season.

Alcaraz’s 65th-minute strike secured a 1-0 win on Tyneside and that, coupled with Chelsea’s win at Nottingham Forest and 10-man Aston Villa’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester United, left the Magpies in fifth place on goal difference.

On a day when victory would have been enough to end the tension, the Magpies were uncharacteristically nervy and imprecise, and the final whistle was greeted by joyous applause as a packed house of 52,221 celebrated not the result on the day, but the efforts which had secured a second trip to Europe’s top table in three seasons and the Carabao Cup during an arduous campaign.

As an initial onslaught by the hosts abated, David Moyes’ men worked their way into the game and Tino Livramento had to intercept James Garner’s dangerous ninth-minute cross after Idrissa Gueye had cleverly played his team-mate in over the top.

With Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye and Alcaraz thriving in midfield, Everton were making life uncomfortable for the hosts at times and as Alexander Isak struggled to get himself into the game, chances were at a premium for Newcastle.

Nick Pope claimed Alcaraz’s 22nd-minute free-kick with little fuss, but he was extended much further by Garner’s swerving strike from distance two minutes later.

Harvey Barnes was unable to react quickly enough to make meaningful contact with Livramento’s teasing cross at the far post after the wing-back had skipped past Jack Harrison down the left, but it took a fine double save from Jordan Pickford to deny first Sandro Tonali, then Isak 14 minutes before the break.